Hedge height allowance under review

Next month the Planning Commission will review a zoning ordinance

amendment that will govern hedges with the same height limitations as

fences.

However, the amendment may allow for residents to seek a variance

permit by Design Review Board to keep their hedges. The municipal

code limits the height of fences to four feet in the frontyard and

six feet in the side and rear yards. If the ordinance passes through

the commission and the City Council, residents may have to take out

the shears or possibly appeal to the Design Review Board.

The hedge issue was first heard by the City Council on June 25.

Council woman Cheryl Kinsman requested that the council direct the

Planning Commission to review the situation and make recommendations

as to whether a hedge is being used as fence, it should be judged as

such.

“What is happening is that residents are creating walled

compounds,” Kinsman said.

Instead of building sound walls, people are using hedges as sound

and privacy barriers on streets that collect heavy traffic. Kinsman

said that many of these hedges, which are not only planted close to

the sidewalk but are also dense, pose public safety risks.

“The number one reason is safety for cars and pedestrians and

second to prevent the circumvention of the fence regulation,” she

said.

The commission reviewed the amendment last Wednesday and voted to

continue the matter until its meeting on Sept. 11. Carolyn Martin,

community development staff member, was directed to establish

criteria for the Design Review Board to determine if higher hedges

should be allowed on a case-by-case basis. Her report will be

available Sept. 6.

“I propose that we treat a hedge as a fence -- period,” said

Commissioner Norm Grossman, who opposes giving the Design Review

Board flexibility to decide height on an individual case basis.

He argues that if hedges are to be allowed to grow higher because

they’re natural, why not allow residents to build sound walls and

grow ivy on them.

“It will make the code more complicated,” he said.

-- Mary A. Castillo

City seeks volunteers for committees

The Laguna Beach County Water District Board of Directors --

otherwise known as the City Council -- is taking applications for

commissioners. Three seats are open.

Seats also are open on five of the city’s standing committees.

Housing and Human Affairs, Open Space, Recreation and Parking,

Traffic and Circulation.

Applications for the water district commission must be filed with

district General Manager Renae M. Hinchey by 5 p.m. Sept. 30. The

council, sitting as the board of directors, will interview applicants

at the Oct. 15 meeting in the City Council Chamber, 505 Forest Ave.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m.

Commissioners are appointed to three-year terms and are paid $120

a month. They serve on one or more district committees, such as

engineering, finance, groundwater, operations, personnel and

management, insurance-legal matters and public education. Meetings

and preparation time can take several hours a week.

The five-member commission advises the City Council on matters

pertaining to administration, delivery of water, and maintenance of

the systems and facilities. Commissioners also make recommendations

on regulations and ordinances deemed necessary for the

administration, delivery of water and maintenance of the systems and

facilities.

Meetings are held at 4:30 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesdays

of each month in the district boardroom, 306 Third St.

Applications are available at the district office on Third Street.

Applications for all the other committees are available at the

City Clerk’s office in City Hall. They are due by 5 p.m., Sept. 10.

Applicants will be interviewed at the Sept. 17 council meeting.

Two seats are open on the Telecommunications Committee. The

committee advises the council and community of issues such as cable

TV service, internet access, high-speed modems and telephony.

The Housing and Human Affairs Committee is involved with the

implementation of the housing element of the city general plan,

providing low-income and senior housing and processing Community

Block Grant applications. One seat is open.

One seat also is open on the Open Space Committee. The committee

makes recommendations for the preservation of open space through

master planning, fund-raising, acquisition and land management.

One seat is open on the Recreation Committee, which directs its

efforts to providing for the recreation and park needs of the

community.

The Parking, Traffic and Circulation Committee has room for one

more member. It advises the council on matters that gave the

committee its name, but also includes the city’s transit system --

the only one in the county -- and residential complaints. It supports

the creation of a parking and traffic management plan.

City committees generally meet once a month.

Applicants for all city commissions, boards and committees must be

Laguna Beach residents.

-- Barbara Diamond

Chance to meet the candidates

Village Laguna members and the public are invited to meet and

greet candidates for the Laguna Beach City Council and Laguna Beach

Unified School District Board of Directors.

The event is the first of the electoral season and will include

wine and delectables. Village Laguna members will be meeting with

candidates they will consider endorsing during their candidate

endorsement meeting Monday.

The free event is from 6 to 8 p.m. today in the Community Room on

the Third Floor of the Wells Fargo Bank building at 260 Ocean Ave.

Information, Michael Hoag, (949) 494-5960.

Chamber seeks survey participants

Looking into the minds of business owners is the purpose of a

survey that has been distributed by the Laguna Beach Chamber of

Commerce

“The survey grew out of two things,” explained Anne Morris,

executive director of the chamber. “The small business committee

wanted to know what they need to accomplish, and to do so they want

to know what the business community needs from us.”

With 600 distributed so far, nearly 20% have been returned but the

chamber wants non-members to participate as well. The questions

reflect some of the challenges businesses face in Laguna. Morris also

hopes that business owners who are not residents realize that the

chamber can act as a collective voice to the city.

“The city listens to the chamber,” she said. “They need to know

what the issues are.”

The chamber’s legislative committee has been instrumental in

working with the city on the sign ordinance to better facilitate the

process. The process, Morris said, is not so lengthy and members as

well as non-members are more than welcome to come to the chamber with

questions about city regulations. The business surveys are due the

week of Aug. 26 and results will be ready within two weeks, Morris

said.

Business owners can obtain a copy of the business survey at the

Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce at 376 Glenneyre St. or by calling

(949) 494-1018, Ext. 1.

-- Mary A. Castillo

City to buy two trolleys and a van

Based on the success of the free summer tram service, the City

Council authorized the city manager to purchase two Festival trolleys

and one transit van.

The trolleys will replace two older models and Sally’s Fund will

use the transit van for the senior transportation program. The total

cost will be $487,538 and it is designed not to cost the city a dime.

“We received funding out of the Orange County Transportation

Authority’s Local Transit Fund,” said Bill Liebel, deputy director of

city public works. “These are 100% grant-funded vehicles.”

The festival trolleys will be added to the 2003 summer tram

service. This summer the city has had to use reserve main-line buses

to meet the weekend traffic demand. Usage has increased 90% since

last year, said Liebel.

“People who don’t use them are missing a real summer treat,” he

said. “We want to have people ride them.”

-- Mary A. Castillo

Pipeline work set for Capistrano Street

The Laguna Beach County Water District will be replacing its cast

iron water pipeline in Capistrano Street between Katella and Miramar

streets.

The work is designed to enhance fire-flow and improve overall

reliability of water distribution. It will begin Aug. 26 and continue

for about five weeks. Hours of construction will be 7:30 a.m. to 5

p.m. Monday through Friday.

Customers will be notified when water service will be disrupted.

The streets will remain open to pedestrian traffic and workers will

try to maintain normal vehicle access.

For information, call the District’s Engineering Department,

494-1041.